Clinical currency and awareness in nursing education are the cornerstone of the arguments about whether nurse academics should engage in direct clinical practice. The reality of it is that although more empirical evidence is needed to support the arguments pro or against nursing faculty engaging in clinical practice, the rapid changes in technology, services, and scope of practice are creating a natural call for action among clinical education leaders (Elliott & Wall, 2008). Clinical faculty are entrusted with the responsibility to provide nursing students with evidence-based training and education. As such, now more than ever, nurse academics are tasked with the professional responsibility to be current and maintain a prominent level of expertise in their field. In today's ever-changing health care environment, maintaining a current clinical practice to inform curricula and professional preparation has become a necessity rather than a preference (Stagger, et. al., 2022). The need to maintain currency in clinical practice has earned its place in center stages of discussion and policy making tables. Clinical practice expectations in health care academia have redefined, in many places, the role and expectations of nursing faculty.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing's [AACN] 2016 report, "Advancing Health care Transformation: A New Era for Academic Nursing" redefined academic nursing to incorporate practice into the role and function of nurse academics, both at the undergraduate and at the graduate level of education. American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties [NONPF] (2017) agree and highlight the importance of supporting the integration of clinical practice in academia (Padilla & Evans-Krieder, 2021). Maintaining current knowledge in diagnostic skills, patient management, and safe utilization of new technology requires deliberate application of the various methods of knowledge acquisition and purposeful integration of evidence-based practice in the provision of safe clinical care.

Yet, before the arguments pro or against the importance of nurse academics' current participation in clinical practice can be made, the definition of clinical practice and nurse academics must be made (Elliott & Wall, 2008). Clinical practice is typically defined as the regular provision of direct patient care. For advanced practice nurses, this relates to direct patient care within the area of specialization to maintain currency and support continuous eligibility to renew clinical credentials (Korkosz, Fuller, et. al., 2020). Particularly in today's workforce, nurse academics are clinicians who primarily engage in the education of the new generation of nurses within the tertiary education sector. As such, nurse academics are tasked to concurrently function in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and service. Scholarship in academia is traditionally interpreted to only include research, peer-reviewed publications, and other forms of professional dissemination of new knowledge. It is now important to acknowledge more recent professional movements that support the recognition of clinical practice as a venue to demonstrate scholarship. Now more than ever before, the scholarship of practice holds merit and critical importance in the preparation of safe, high-quality health care professionals (Clark et al., 2010; Stager, et. al., 2022).

The time allocated to teaching, scholarship (i.e., research or practice), and service depends on the academic institution, faculty expertise, and contractual negotiations, among other factors (Korkosz, et. al., 2020). However, the importance and relevance of effectively integrating all components not only defines levels of expertise in the field but also most importantly supports the formation of safer, high-quality, high-value health care professions (AACN, 2018). Nurse practitioner faculty embedded in clinical practice are poised to translate evidence into practice, develop, implement, and evaluate clinical curricula and inform the didactic teaching (Elliott & Wall, 2008; Stager, et. al., 2022). The advancements of nursing as a health care profession are deeply rooted on the effective integration of evidence-based practice in academia, clinical practice, and research (Stevens, 2013).

Over the past decade, recommendations by the Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010, the AACN, and NONPF have propelled a closer look into the role of academia within health care programs, curricular relevancy, and preparation of students to provide the high-quality, safe, evidence-based care (Stevens, 2013). Evidence-based practice in nursing academia is intimately linked with the integration of practice, education, and research within baccalaureate and graduate schools of nursing; the expectation that those committed to nursing academia will assist in the efforts to close the gap between theory and practice (AACN, 2018). Nurse practitioner faculty embedded in the scholarship of practice inform curricular development and evaluation of both student and program outcomes (Stager, et. al., 2022). Although the scholarship of practice may be advanced through numerous venues, active implementation of evidence-based practice in the clinical arena is recognized as a key contributor in informing teaching, practice, and policy.

Clinical practice empowers nurse practitioner faculty with the unique capability to support their teaching at the interface of theory and practice because they are poised to remain current and practice what they teach (Elliott & Wall, 2008). Because the education of nurse practitioners is transformed to meet the ongoing demands of an evolving health care system, both AACN (2018) and NONPF (2016), among other nationally recognized professional nursing organizations, endorse the integration of clinical practice in the functional role and responsibilities of nurse academics. Although clinical practice does not automatically equate to improved learning or transfer of knowledge in didactic or clinical courses, clinical examples plaited into teaching are known to support effective learning and the development of a highly qualified nursing workforce (Stager, 2022).

Nursing incorporates evidence-based practice in education, research, and practice. The benefits and challenges associated with nurse practitioner faculty maintaining current clinical practice and integrating evidence-based knowledge into each of these areas of academia warrants further research and dissemination of the findings. Nurse practitioner faculty are entrusted with preparing the rising generation of health care providers. Undeniably so, ways to incorporate best practice and support effective application of new knowledge necessitate experiential guidance and strategic integration of teaching and practice. As members of a practice discipline, we should always bear in mind the important relationship between clinical practice and nursing scholarship.

References